We have owned the APC P11VNT3 SurgeArrest surge protector, and have seen them “tripping out” during lightning storms. But we have yet to lose any device plugged into them. In this piece, we review our time with this suppressor, and detail our experiences with it. Mostly good.
APC P11VNT3 SurgeArrest Surge Protector Intro
Types of surges the SurgeArrest stops are…
- Close by lightning strikes.
- Refrigerator / freezer startups and shut downs.
- Any other source of high voltage spikes
These just don’t seem to get through to sensitive home theater and computer electronics fed by the P11VNT3 . Thus, this SurgeArrest power strip works reliably. Why? Because it cuts off the power right away if it sees a surge. This can save thousands of $$$ worth of devices over the years.
When the surge passes, you reset the breaker to restore power. This will work so long as the surge was not TOO large.
The strong yet lightweight plastic case, and long power cable, speak to quality, and long life potential of this product.
This P11VNT3 surge suppressor stops most any voltage surge or noise spike from reaching attached devices. Plus, an on-board circuit breaker monitors the power line for current overloads. Then, it cuts power to the whole strip when it sees any.
Further, if that surge was large enough to damage the protective components within, this power strip remains “open”. I.e. It will not reset. E.g. It will no longer pass power to your delicate electronics.
Also, the LED status lamps on the top of the unit, show at a glance, any problems or failures. These failures can happen in either the power strip itself, or the feeding AC line.
APC SurgeArrest Performance Surge Protector Benefits, Pros, Features, and Advantages
Circuit Overload Light
Glows when devices on it draw more current than this suppressor can deliver safely.
Wiring Fault Lamp
Glows when the SurgeArrest detects a faulty ground or reversed hot and neutral wires.
Protection Working Lamp
Glows when surges have damaged the surge protector’s internal workings. Contact APC for warranty replacement should this lamp ever come on.
Eight Foot Power Cord on the APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector
Noise Filter
Reduces line noise from the external power line from reaching connected equipment via the P11VNT3. Vacuum cleaners and hair dryers for example, will likely not interfere with your connected TV.
Fast Acting Circuit Breaker
This surge protector device “cuts out” during over-current or power surge conditions. Large surges though, may heat the unit slightly. So you might have to wait for it to cool for a few minutes before the reset will hold. Reset the power strip too soon, and it will trip out again right away. Thus, give it some time to recover first.
Built In Plastic Outlet Covers
These slide back and forth, to cover unused outlets on this power strip.
Protects Phone Line
The P11VNT3 provides the same surge protection for your landline telephone as well. It features one input RJ-11 phone line port, and two RJ11 outputs. These can protect up to two phone devices. E.g. Like a FAX machine or answering machine. Note though that these must share the same phone line.
Protects Cable TV Coax
This unit has two gold-plated female F connectors near the phone line ports. These provide low-loss protection for the RG-6 or RG-59 line from your cable company. So the SurgeArrest can stop most any surge spikes that enter through that path as well.
Ethernet Surge Protection
The P11VNT3 also features Ethernet in and out ports. So you can add surge spike protection to your gigabit network line with this device.
Eleven Outlets with Six of Them Widely Spaced
Enough power ports for a DVR, TV, blu ray player, gaming console, AV receiver, and AV receivers. Plus, they widely spaced six of them. Thus, even large “wall wart” power adapters fit, side-by-side into adjacent plugs on this power strip.
The APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector has a Long Lasting Power Cord
The cord is about eight feet long and heavy duty, yet flexible. It resist dirt, grease, and oil.
Right-Angle Plug
The power cord exits the wall plug, parallel to the wall. It does not jut out at right angles to the wall. This helps eliminate accidental unplugging due to someone knocking out a protruding plug from the wall in passing. Nor does the cord hang straight down, but points off at an angle to the right; again. This prevents the power cable from hanging down in front of the outlet below; potentially limiting easy access for other equipment plugs.
Fairly Rugged Case
The thick plastic case provides sufficient physical protection for the components inside.
Medium Surge Diverting Strength
Can absorb up to 3020 Joules. A joule of surge suppressing power strips, pun intended. The APC SurgeArrest surge protector is for home theater systems and networked home offices. It is a medium-grade power strip.
Decent Price for the APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector
The P11VNT3 is highly affordable at prices ranging from $25 to $50 per copy. While you won’t find a solid metal case here, you’ll still get 3020 joules of spike removal strength. So this, along with the low cost of this unit, well justifies these construction issues.
$300,000 Connected Equipment Warranty
Problems, Cons, Disadvantages, and Concerns with the APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector
Less Electrical Shielding
The case is not metal. So interference signals may more easily enter the power lines via this surge protector. These then can cause erratic equipment behavior. But this is likely only to occur in very high noise places like factories. Not a big issue when used at home.
Outlet Covers can Break Off
Be careful when pulling equipment plugs from the outlets on the P11VNT3 . Watch out for plugs with tightly fitting prongs. Why? Because you may snag the plastic outlet cover when pulling out the plug. You might break off the cover. Not really clear about how much benefit you get from these shutters. Indeed in our opinion, they make the power strip seem cheap. We prefer the removable plastic outlet plugs found on other surge protectors such as those from Belkin.
Outlet Shutters Do Not Fully Cover Outlet
The ground prong hole remains open, even when you close the plug cover.
Our Rating on the APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector
This SurgeArrest series (the P11VNT3 power strip in particular) is currently available new and used on Amazon and eBay. Eleven outlets is plenty for most home theater setups with DVRs, DVD players, VCRs, AV receivers, and the TV. The P11VNT3 is useful any place you need lots of highly surge protected outlets. We’ve use ours for audio systems, mobile disc jockey arrangements, and home theaters.
When you’re unsure what quality of power a venue has, take The SurgeArrest along to test it. It’s very lightweight at just under three pounds. It can show you instantly if an outlet poses a shock hazard. It’s a great protector against those random in-field power surges.
This Performance SurgeArrest strip is a decent insurance policy for your delicate AV and computer electronics. Our only regret about the P11VNT3, is that its case is not more substantial. But given all of this, we rate this surge suppressor at 85 out of 100. The SurgeArrest offers low cost yet decent surge protection.
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References for APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector
Revision History
- 2019-07-23: Added key phrase targeting for ‘APC SurgeArrest Surge Protector’, removed ad code, and added more links and tags.
- 2017-01-30: Originally published.